Graflex.org

[littlelou]

a friend's offering to sell me
a PACEMAKER SPEED GRAPHIC
with a TOP RANGEFINDER.
the lens is a KODAK EKTAR 127MM F4.7-32 RE107L
in an R GRAPHIC SYNCHRO COMPUR SHUTTER
seller says it's the best shutter + lens GRAFLEX ever made
and i'm wondering if it warrants the higher asking price
based on similiar cameras listed on ebay which are less
and after reading all the information within this website.
the camera and lens is in good-exc condition and well lubricated. just wondering what fellow readers or the experts can tell me about these particular shutters + lenses without repeating what's already been written
there seems to be less information about the shutters.
thanks a bunch
LL

[Henry]

Others with more experience than I have with this particular combination of lens/shutter will want to chime in here, but as for my preference, I don't like the Synchro-Compur shutter nearly as much as Graphex shutters: ease of operation and maintenance, reliability, and the rest. For my money, the Optar lenses are as usable as the Ektars. But yours is a fairly common set, and lots of folks are happy with it.

[45PSS]

Not knowing what you've read here on this site I may restate what you know:
1). The 127mm Ektar is reported to be the MOST color corrected Ektar.
2). The 127mm Ektar is a "normal" lens for 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 format which is now obselete.
3). The 127mm Ektar will just cover 4x5 format with NO movements. If the galss is clean, no scratches or nicks (light cleaning whips will not affect image quality) it should preform well on any film you put behind it.
4).RE serial number dates the lens to 1954.
5). The Synchro Compur is a more robust shutter than Supermatics or Graphic shutters but is much more difficult to service unless you are an experenced shutter technican.
6).A Pacemaker Speed in hand that you know is clean, lubed, operates smoothly in all aspects is worth a little more than one on ebay that is being listed by a Know Not that Knows Not that they Know Not but because they have taken a picture or two with the camera think its in great shape when in fact the adverage Speed off ebay needs a through cleaning, lube, and adjusting to get all aspects of the camera working correctly. The CLA of the camera body takes 10 to 30 hours depending on your abalities and the condition of the camera then comes a full CLA on the lens shutter which takes another 4 to 12 hours.
7). When comparing to ebay auctions use only the ones that match the camera you are evulating and have several High Resoultion pictures, many defects are hidden in shadows. Download copies of the pictures and open then in a photo editing program and varry the size, brightness, and contrast to bring out detail that is not appearant in the posting. Next is the question did someone pay a higher amount because they wanted it badly.
. Go to B&H, KEH, MidwestPhoto, or Collectable Cameras and compair to retail pricing for simular camera.
9). $250 to $400 should be reasonable depending on accessories included.

[littlelou]

if it has any significance
the number on the back of the lensboard is D30852 P14

on the side of the synchro-compur shutter
it also says SHUTTER MADE IN GERMANY (WEST)
i always thought these were american made as well

i appreciate the feedback from the group
because the price being asked is $1200.00
for this particular camera / lens combination
and i'm trying to understand the justification

[45PSS]

Has the current owner Gold Plated some of the trim?
The asking price is more than double a like new retail price.

[littlelou]

no it isn't gold plated
i think it's just over priced
it's a SUPER GRAPHIC
which accepts interchangeable cams
i've never changed cams before
maybe i'll graduate to that one of these days
so if different lenses can be used with this camera body
does that make it worth anywhere near that price ?
all along i suspected not
but i'm taking a couple weeks to test it out anyways
thanks again
LL

[45PSS]